Minor Overview

About this minor
The Science in Society minor will provide a focal point for our understanding of how scientific endeavours both feed from and contribute to human society. The Minor will provide students with core skills in scientific thinking, data management and computational problem solving. It combines two units that present core STEM skills, statistics and computer programming, with two units that apply those concepts to core issues where science meets society. The minor provides evidence-based insights into the global impact of Darwin's theory of natural selection, an understanding of the neurological basis of human behaviour, and the ability to critically evaluate scientific evidence. Students will also learn how science has been misappropriated to explain and sometimes justify some of the more unsettling aspects of human endeavour, including racism, colonialism, conflict and gender imbalances. This minor will challenge students to integrate creativity and science in their learning and assessments. Overall, the Science in Society minor will be attractive to any student interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the power of science to influence our daily lives, and how this knowledge can empower us to make impactful and positive decisions across a range of human activities. The minor will be highly relevant for students enrolled in both science and non-science Majors. For students taking a minor which shares units with their other unit sets (majors or minors): in order for minors to be recognised on academic and graduation documents, students may only have a maximum of one unit overlapping between their unit sets.
Outcomes
Students are able to (1) create algorithms using computational thinking to solve problems; (2) critically assess and understand scientific information and its limitations; (3) access and manage data sets and assess their reliability; (4) understand evolutionary theory; and (5) apply metaphor and creativity to understand and communicate scientific discoveries and their impact on society.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
Take all units (12 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name Unit requirements
S1, S2 CITS1401 Computational Thinking with Python
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
Mathematics Methods ATAR or equivalent
or MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods
or MATX1721 Mathematics Foundations
or
Enrolment in
62510 Master of Information Technology
or 62530 Master of Data Science
or BH011 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Incompatibility
CITS2401 Computer Analysis and Visualisation
S2 NEUR1001 Neuroscience in Society None
Take the following unit:

Availability Unit code Unit name Unit requirements
S1 ANIM2001 The Darwinian Revolution
Incompatibility
Unit(s) ANIM1001 The Darwinian Revolution (ID 5787)
Take 6 points:

Availability Unit code Unit name Unit requirements
S1, S2 SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) Mathematics Applications or equivalent
or Mathematics Methods or equivalent
or Unit(s) MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Co-requisites
MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods
or MATX1721 Mathematics Foundations
or SCIE1500 Analytical Methods for Scientists
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
Unit(s) STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
S1, S2 STAT1400 Statistics for Science
Prerequisites
Mathematics Applications ATAR
or MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals or equivalent
Incompatibility
STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
S1, S2 STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
Prerequisites
Mathematics Applications ATAR
or MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or ECON1111 Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics or equivalent
Incompatibility
STAT1400 Statistics for Science
or STAX1400 Statistics for Science